teachers ’ resources · sleep tight, platypup renée treml there’s so much more at...

T E A C H E R S ’ R E S O U R C E S

RECOMMENDED FOR Preschool and early primary (ages 3–7 years) CONTENTS

1. Plot summary 1 2. About the author 2 3. Author’s inspiration 2 4. Key study topics 2 5. Further reading 4 6. Worksheets 5

KEY CURRICULUM AREAS • Learning areas: English, Science, HASS,

the Arts • General capabilities: Literacy, Critical and

Creative Thinking, Personal and Social Capability

REASONS FOR STUDYING THIS BOOK • To develop reading and listening skills • To learn more about Australian animals and

their habitats • To think about how members of a family help

each other • To think about how we face and overcome fears

PREPARED BY Renée Treml and Penguin Random House Australia PUBLICATION DETAILS ISBN: 9780143789697 (hardback) These notes may be reproduced free of charge for use and study within schools but they may not be reproduced (either in whole or in part) and offered for commercial sale. Visit penguin.com.au/teachers to find out how our fantastic Penguin Random House Australia books can be used in the classroom, sign up to the teachers’ newsletter and follow us on @penguinteachers. Copyright © Penguin Random House Australia 2018

Sleep Tight, Platypup Renée Treml

PLOT SUMMARY

Poor little Platypup wakes up alone in his burrow by the river. He is frightened by the sights and sound of the night-time. What is that shadow? Who made that noise?

But there’s nothing to fear. With his mother by his side, the young platypus ventures out to explore. The moonlight dances on the water. Leaves whisper and gumnuts knock in the wind. Platypup discovers that his home by the river is just as lovely in the dark of night as it is during the day.

And that’s not scary at all.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Renée Treml was inspired by Australia’s wildlife and native birds after moving from the USA to Australia in 2007. She loves to create artworks that highlight the subtle details of nature with delicacy and humour. Renée’s books have won or been listed for awards including the CBCA Book of the Year and the Crichton Award for New Illustrator, Speech Pathology Book of the Year and the Environment Award for Children’s Literature. As well as creating beautiful books, Renée uses her illustrations on a variety of goods, including stationery, ceramics and fine art prints.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

What inspired you to write Sleep Tight, Platypup?

When my son would wake up at night afraid, we would sit with him and talk about what he could see and hear in his room at night. Eventually he would realise that his room was the same at night as it is during the day. The trick for us was not telling him that ‘it’s not scary’, but helping him figure it out for himself, just like mummy platypus does.

Why did you choose to focus on platypuses in this story?

One of the reasons I chose to focus on platypuses is because I love the word ‘platypup’. I think it’s the best baby name ever – and that’s saying a lot as a baby porcupine is known as a porcupette. I also love drawing platypuses and they were a perfect fit for a story set at night-time: they are native, nocturnal and a little bit secretive.

Can you tell us a favourite platypus fact?

Many baby animals have a proper name, for example a baby marsupial is known as a joey and a baby owl is an owlet. A platypus doesn’t have a proper name, so we can call them a platypup or a puggle. The name puggle is the proper name for a baby echidna, which is also the platypus’s closest relative, so perhaps that is why we call them puggles too.

PRE-READING QUESTIONS 1. Ask students to look at the front cover and

describe what they see. Do they know all the words in the title, or can they guess what they mean?

2. Ask students what they think the book will be about based on the title and the illustration.

3. Turn to the back cover and ask students what they see in the illustration, and what they think the relationship between the two characters might be.

4. Read the blurb on the back cover. What do students feel about it? What kind of things are students now expecting to see inside the book? What questions do they have?

5. As a class, write a short list of things you know about the animal that appears on the book cover.

ACTIVITIES

Classroom/shared reading • Read Sleep Tight, Platypup together as a class.

• Ask students to identify their favourite part/s of the story and why.

• Discuss what students already know about platypuses and their habitat. What did students observe about the landscape of the story?

• Point out the dedication at the front of the book. Ask students to imagine they have written a book – what would their dedications be?

KEY STUDY TOPICS

English 1. How many characters are in this story? What is

their relationship to one another?

2. Do you think these characters behave like humans in this story? In what ways?

3. Can you find three words in the story that are new to you? Try to work out what the words mean from their context (the way they are used and what surrounds them).

4. We have five senses: sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste. Sleep Tight, Platypup has lots of words to describe how things sound. Can you find five words in the story that describe a sound or how a sound is made?

5. Class or group debate: Do you think Platypup is now looking forward to being older and going out at night on his own? Why or why not?

Science 1. In which country do you think this story takes

place? Are there any clues in the text or illustrations?

2. In the opening pages of the story, Platypup is in a burrow. Why do you think platypuses use burrows? How do you think they make their burrows?

3. Can you think of Australian animals that live in these kinds of homes: burrows, nests, tree branches, oceans, reefs, and river or creek beds?




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4. Some animals are most active when there is not much light: during the night (‘nocturnal’) and during dawn and dusk (‘crepuscular’). Platypuses fall into both of these categories. Why do you think platypuses are active in low light? Can you name any other nocturnal or crepuscular animals?

Humanities and Social Sciences 1. Platypup is content when he is in his burrow with

his mother. Do you have a favourite place and person that makes you feel snug and content?

2. Imagine a friend or family member is worried about something. What would you do to try to make them feel better?

3. Sit in a quiet part of the playground. Close your eyes and try to be as still and quiet as you can. What do you hear? What can you smell? Is it ‘nothing’? Observe for a little longer and see if you can notice things that you had overlooked before. You might be surprised by what is around you. Some people use a technique like this to help them feel more relaxed when they are anxious.

Visual arts 1. Each page in Sleep Tight, Platypup focuses on just

one or two colours. Which pages use colours that look ‘happy’ to you? Which pages use colours that suggest a mood ‘scary’ or ‘anxious’ mood?

2. Draw two different pictures of Platypup – one where he is happy and one where he is angry. What colour will you choose for each picture? What expressions or body language will you give Platypup?

3. As a class or during recess, collect some fallen plant matter from the playground: leaves, small twigs, flowers, nuts, etc. Arrange your favourite pieces on your desk and create a ‘still life’ artwork by painting or drawing your arrangement.




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FURTHER READING FROM PENGUIN RANDOM HOUSE AUSTRALIA

Puffin the Architect by Kimberly Andrews

Why this story? To learn about what goes into making a home, to think about design and creativity, and to find hidden details on every page.

Puffin is an architect who takes her pufflings on an inspirational tour of her builds. Together they visit all kinds of cleverly designed spaces – Otter’s floating home, Pig’s toolshed on wheels, Painter Goose’s light-filled studio and Platypus’s cosy underground bakehouse.

The pufflings are unimpressed. Will Puffin come up with a puffling-perfect home design?

Colouring pages available.

Charlie by Ronojoy Ghosh

Why this story? To think about how humans and animals behave, what it means to fit in, and how to follow your own interests.

Charlie’s a very clever lion. He loves art, fancy restaurants and travelling. Or at least, he thinks he would. It’s hard to tell, since he’s stuck in a zoo.

If Charlie is ever going to explore the world, he’ll need a cunning disguise.

Teachers’ resources available.

One Very Tired Wombat by Renée Treml

Why this story? To learn about some familiar and unusual Australian birds, to practise numeracy and to test your observational powers. Can you spot all the birds on each page?

Wombat is very tired, and he just wants to rest. The birds try to be quiet – well, some of them, anyway – but it seems that they’re not as quiet as they think.

Poor tired wombat. Will he ever get some sleep?

One Very Tired Wombat is a charming counting book featuring some very cheeky Australian animals.





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WORKSHEET 1: Draw a night-time scene for Platypup

What do you think Platypup would see and hear at night? Add your details to the illustration below.




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WORKSHEET 2: Match the baby animal to its name

Baby cats are called kittens. Baby ducks are called ducklings. Baby goats are called kids. Can you match these baby animal to their names?




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WORKSHEET 3: Nocturnal animals

Animals that are active at night are called ‘nocturnal’. Write the name of each nocturnal animal beside its illustration, and then colour in the sheet. Can you think of other nocturnal animals to add? (If you get stuck, check the bottom of the page for hints.)




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WORKSHEET 4: Draw Platypup




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ORDER FORM

TITLE AUTHOR ISBN SCHOOL

YEAR RRP QTY TOTAL

Sleep Tight, Platypup (hardback) Renée Treml 9780143789697 Pre-K–1 19.99

One Very Tired Wombat (board book) Renée Treml 9780143785088 Pre-K–1 14.99

Wombat Big, Puggle Small (hardback) Renée Treml 9780143782940 Pre-K–K 19.99

Ten Little Owls (hardback) Renée Treml 9780143782537 Pre-K–K 19.99

Once I Heard a Little Wombat (board book)

Renée Treml 9780857987396 Pre-K–K 14.99

The Great Garden Mystery (paperback available June 2019)

Renée Treml 9780857984173 Pre-K–1 14.99

Puffin the Architect (hardback)

Kimberly Andrews

9780143793755 K–2 24.99

Charlie (hardback)

Ronojoy Ghosh

9780143785026 K–2 24.99

TOTAL

PLEASE NOTE THAT PRICES ARE RECOMMENDED RETAIL ONLY AND MAY HAVE CHANGED SINCE THE TIME OF PRINTING. PRICES ARE GST INCLUSIVE.

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teachers ’ resources · sleep tight, platypup renée treml there’s so much more at...

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